WOMEN LEADING OUR CFA FROM THE FRONT

CFA crews in the Geelong and Surf Coast region will celebrate the contribution of their female leaders, members and volunteers on Monday, as they mark International Women’s Day.

Four of the region’s brigades are now led by female captains, with Kaylene Stocks recently elected to lead the Winchelsea Fire Brigade, joining fellow captains Niki Habibis of St Leonards-Indented Head brigade, Ali Jordan of Highton brigade and Helen Wood of Barwon Heads brigade.

Captain Stocks dropped 52 kgs to join the CFA, where her daughter, sister, brother-in-law and father were all volunteers

“I always wanted to join, but I was quite big so I made it my goal to join once I had lost weight.”

“It’s great – sometimes we’re three generations on the same truck.

“At last year’s Mt Mercer fire, Dad drove the truck and I was the crew leader of an all-female crew and we did it, we were there all day working on that fire just like everyone else.”

Highton’s captain Ali Jordan, elected the brigade’s first female captain late last year, first joined the brigade as a 16-year-old operational member.

“I grew up in the brigade as my dad has been a member for 30 years and is also an ex-captain,” she said.

“I certainly didn’t think I’d be the brigade’s first female captain, but it’s such an honour and I hope I can be a role model to other females in leadership roles.”

CFA chief executive Natalie MacDonald said the four District captains exemplified this year’s International Women’s Day theme of ‘choose to challenge’.

“CFA’s women are great role models showcasing the strength, determination, diversity of skill and adaptability of women to the whole Victorian community and beyond,” Ms MacDonald said.

“International Women’s Day provides an opportunity to recognise what women bring to our organisation and these women have all made extraordinary contributions as leaders of their brigades and in their communities.

“However, it’s not just up to women to challenge structures that can hold them back, it’s up to everyone.

“Whether at CFA as an organisation or the broader community, and I always encourage anyone to consider how they can contribute to a more inclusive future for all.”

SURF COAST WOMEN IN ‘RALLY CALL’ FOR CHANGE

The Surf Coast Shire Council has brought together written testimonies from more than a dozen local women to celebrate International Women’s Day.

Local nurse and farmer Kaye Batson is one of 13 women from the Surf Coast who have shared reflections on this year’s IWD theme Choose to Challenge.

Ms Batson’s message is to never assume – never assume that gender equality is a given, and never take equality for granted.

She issued a rallying call as she encouraged people to be agents of change in challenging inequality and gender stereotyping in everyday life.

“When we see biased opinion and inequality we all have the opportunity to challenge, and

grassroots challenges can generate quite powerful change,” she said.

“Everyone can take responsibility for that, it doesn’t always have to be driven from the top

down.

“I think it is important not to take gains made for women for granted, and not to ever think

you don’t have to be involved.

“Real change requires everyone to buy in. It is everyone’s responsibility and for an inclusive

world we all must buy in, that’s the rally call.”

Surf Coast Shire Mayor Libby Stapleton said this year’s theme provided a valuable starting point for important conversations.

“We want people to think about what choosing to challenge might be, and the differences

choosing to challenge might make for women,” Cr Stapleton said.

“This is about celebrating the achievements of women and the roles that they have in our

community while recognising that sometimes we need to challenge gender bias, inequality

and stereotyping in public and private life.”

The testimonies are available at www.surfcoast.vic.gov.au/IWD2021.

NO MERCY FROM JUDITH’S GOOD DEEDS

When Mercy Place Rice Village aged care assistant Judith Booley knocks off work she’s known to hang around.

Chatting to the lonely, taking those that don’t get visitors on walks and having a drink with residents and their families is what Ms Booley is known for around the Marshall retirement village.

She speaks proudly of comforting dying residents in their final moments, describing the experience as “rewarding.”

While funds raised from trivia nights she’s organised at Rice Village have been used to buy equipment for residents.

Ms Booley,58, has put aside issues in her personal life to be a constant in the lives of those at Rice Village for the past six years and regularly goes above and beyond the call of work.

Her personable nature, partly picked up from 33 years working at K-mart, is what residents gravitate towards.